Short-term effects of fire disturbance on CH4 emission from forested wetlands in the Xiaoxing’an Mountains, Northeast China

Using static chamber gas chromatography, we determined the seasonal dynamics, controlling factors, and distribution patterns of forest swamp CH4 levels and related environmental factors (temperature, water level) after fire disturbance in the Xiaoxing’an Mountains. The results showed the following: during the growing season, the annual CH4 emission distribution ranged from - 0.001 ± 0.012 to 22.373 ± 3.650 mg m^-2 h^-1;mild fire caused the swamp CH4 emission flux of tussock, shrub, Alnus sibirica and birch swamp to increase by 56.0–524.7%;at low water levels, temperature had a significant influence on the swamp type, and the correlation between the methane emission flux and temperature was significantly strengthened;after a fire disturbance, methane emissions from all types of marsh were highest in summer and second highest in autumn, with a weak absorption in spring;and along the water environment gradient of the transition zone, the CH4 emission flux presented a decreasing trend in its spatial distribution pattern.